16.05.

1926: The Last Ottoman Sultan’s Unusual Place of Death

Photo Credit To Wikipedia Commons/ Mehmed VI during prayer before his departure from Istanbul

Story Highlights

Historical event:

16 May 1926

After he was deposed, the last Sultan, Mehmed VI, left Istanbul aboard a British warship. He first went to Malta, which was still owned by the British at that time, and then to the Italian Riviera. The last seat of his court was in a villa in San Remo, called Villa delle Magnolie.

On this day in 1926, the last sultan of the Ottoman Empire passed away.

His name was Mehmed VI and he was the 36th ruler from the Ottoman dynasty. He became sultan at the end of the World War I, at the age of 57. He spent only 4 years in power because he was deposed and exiled from Turkey (the empire was then terminated) already in 1922.

The ousted Mehmed VI left Istanbul aboard the British battleship HMS Malaya. It was a heavy warship with a displacement of 33,020 tons and with large 340-millimeter guns. The deposed sultan first went to Malta, which was still owned by the British at that time, and then on the Italian Riviera.

Sultan lived on the Italian Riviera until his death. He was married five times during his life. On this day in 1926, he died in in San Remo at the age of 65. The last seat of his court was in a villa in San Remo, called Villa delle Magnolie.